DELIVERING DIFFERENTLY - DELIVERING ADULT AND CHILDRENS SERVICES IN RBWM
To receive the above verbal report.
Minutes:
Alison Alexander, Managing Director & Strategic Director of Adults, Children and Health Services gave Members a presentation on delivering adult services differently within the Royal Borough. Board Members noted the following main points:
Ø Meeting residents’ needs as early as possible to ensure they live independent successful lives – the Borough feels it can be creative in delivering differently.
Ø Because our expectation of how we support residents is high, we also invest in our workforce so that we have the highest skilled workforce supporting our residents – continue to service residents and have their needs met so they can live independent healthy lives. The Borough wants to meet their needs.
Ø The Challenges:
o People are living longer – the Borough is a small Local Authority
o Needs are getting more complex – residents not as dependent on adult services till a later stage in their lives and then their needs are more complex
o The world is more competitive – RBWM was a small Borough but with the largest number of care homes per population. That meant that residents had a choice and could have impact on the Borough as working with a broad range of care homes. The Borough needed to provide support to care homes.
o The Borough has really good staff – but as a small Local Authority, they move onto somewhere where there were opportunities for career development
o Retaining staff was difficult in a small unitary authority – so there were many advantages in working together
Ø Meeting the challenges:
o The council was committed to constantly evolve (transform) and the focus has been on three areas:
§ Knowing our services – knowing which ones the Borough does deliver and which ones the Borough can deliver
§ Having the right people and tools – STP and commissioning intentions. Asking people to have a broader range of skills
§ Delivering differently, where necessary: Children’s services approved by Cabinet in September 2016 – the Royal Borough feels it can deliver adult services and children’s services differently.
Ø Adult services responding to change – saying to residents: what can you do for yourself and what can the people around you do for you so the Borough can target care more effectively.
o Over four years there has been significant transformation across adult services – need to partner with another LA to deliver services.
o Current changes include projects such as ‘Each Step Together.’
o More recently we have undertaken research and investigation into the different operating models in the country to deliver adult services.
Ø Conclusion of research:
o We will enter into a partnership with Wokingham Borough Council – deliver services together. Will be overseen by three elected members.
o Bringing our services together and buy a shareholding in the local authority trading company – Optalis Limited – Optalis was set up in 2011 and provides care at home, domiciliary care and will provide provision support and testing new ways of delivering services to residents.
o Company overseen through a board that comprises of Elected Members from the Royal Borough and Wokingham Borough Council
§ Optalis employed around 450 people delivering services for Wokingham Borough Council
Ø Current Position:
o Both Councils taking proposals to Cabinet in October 2016 to form a partnership.
§ The Royal Borough will own 45% and will move over to 50% over the next two years.
§ Both Councils agreed to the partnership.
§ The ambition was to start the partnership in April 2017 with a commitment for 10 years – currently developing implementation.
Ø What this means for adult services staff:
o New delivery model for adult services through Optalis, delivering £29.9m gross of services.
o Adult services staff – circa 300 headcount TUPE to Optalis by 1 April 2017
o Professionals delivering support services: finance, hr, ICT, data, transport etc – resource to transfer to Optalis being determined.
Ø Adult services to move into the partnership:
o Physical disabilities and older people
o Community team and people with learning difficulties
o Windsor day car centre
o Oakbridge Centre for adults with learning disabilities
o Boyn Grove Day Care Centre
o Homeside and Winston Court
o Allenby Road
o Short Term Support & Rehabilitation
o Integrated mental health
o Strategic safeguarding/DOLS
o Contracts, Accreditation and Monitoring Team
o Operational commissioning and brokerage
o Business Support
o Financial Assessment Team
o Assisted Technology.
Ø Adult services not moving into the Partnership:
o So, All adult services except for:
§ Statutory role of Director of Adult Services
§ Safeguarding Adults Board Business Unit
§ Strategic commissioning including public health.
Ø Fundamentally, staff will continue to deliver services to adults in the Royal Borough on behalf of the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead – with the same aims with a broader range of staff to service needs.